Strip guiding apparatus



Jan. 4, 1966 J. W. O'BRIEN 3,227,346

STRIP GUIDING- APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JEREMIAH W. O'BRIEN @u m 'i BY H MYC/,WML

'n HIS TTORNEY Jan. 4, 1966 J.-w. oBRlEN 3,227,346

STRIP GUIDING APPARATUS C\| Q LL L() Q u.

INVENTOR. JEREMIAH W. OBRIEN HIS ATTORNEY s E l wm Nm wm Qmmm m 3 Sheets-'Sheet 5 J. W. OBRIEN STRIP GUIDING APPARATUS Nw mm Jan. 4, 1966 Filed Feb. 28, 1963 INVENToR. JEREMIAH W. O'BRIEN BY @7k/. j me. ATTORNEY United States Patent i 3,227,346 STRIP GUIDING APPARATUS Jeremiah W. QBrien, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to United Engineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 261,787 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 16, 1962,

14,578/ 62 4 Claims (CL. 226-433) This invention relates to` the handling of strip material and more particularly to feeding strip material to a coiler apparatus. e

The leading ends of hot metal strips emerging from a rolling mill are normally -wider than the remainder of the strips and may have protruding hooks or'cambers. As a result, it is necessary to separate theside guards arranged immediately before the coiler a sufficient distance to allow the ends to pass unrestrictively between the side guards. However, in the absence of the restraining inuence of the side guards, the strips are allowed to Wander transversely. Only after the front ends are coiled can the guards be closed to the separation required to guide the remainder of the strips.

This means that there is no control against the transverse movement of the leading ends of the strips so that the inner wraps of the coils become `telescoped relative to the outer wraps, which result in damage to the edges of the strips during further handling, in addition to causing diculties in the uncoiling operation of the coils.

Accordingly, the present invention -provides in one form an arrangement for feeding strip material to a coiler which ucomprises a conveyor for delivering strip to a coiling apparatus, and means for biasing the strip toward a side guide previously positioned relative to the coiler. The means `provided to cause the strip to be biased toward the one Aguard may kbe the rollers of a table `which are skewed relative to the normal direction of `travel of the strip or the rollers may be tapered or both tapered and skewed.

In another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus u for `feeding strip material to a `coiler comprising a yroller table, at least some of the rollers of which are tapered and/or skewed relative to a line drawn perpendicular to the longitudinal axis vof the table, a first adjustable guard on one side of the roller table engageable by one of the .edges of the strip, a second `guard engageable by the other edge of the strip and means .operable tomove the `second guard rapidly toward a predetermined `adjustable posi- .tion adjacent to the other edge of the strip.

The invention also contemplates the kemployment of a pair of side guards in a throat leading to the coiler, which serve as extensions of the table side 4guards, and one of `which is quickly adjustable relative to `the one edge of .the strip. i

In some forms of the invention `it is contemplated `to provide a pinch roll unit, one roll of which `isarranged to Wbe held out of positive .engagement with the leading end of `the strip but yetseryin'g to guide the leading end and Vto be brought into engagement with the trailing vend ,of `the strip to'impose a drag `on the .strip after it leaves "the mill. The invention also `provides `for Askewing or tapering the pinh .rollse he invention will dbe more readily understood from 'the .following description `of `the preferred 4embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with .the accompanying ,drawings of which:

`FIGURE l is a plan viewpof two tandemly arranged `roller tables including a strip side guard arranged which feedstrip to a pair ofdowncoilers,

FIGURE ,2 is a sectional view of apart of one of the coilers and pinch roll units, e

FIGURE 3 is `a plan view looking from the left to the 35,227,346 Patented Jen- 4! i966 ICC Y in the throat of one of the coilers,

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on lines IV-IV of FIG- URE l through the throat of one of the coilers, and

FIGURE 5 illustrates a modified for'm of the operational position of the pinch roll unit herein disclosed.

With reference first to FIGURE l of the drawings, there is illustrated two identical adjacently arranged elevated coiler tables 10 and 11, the table 11 being broken 4to facilitate better illustration of the equipment. The

arrow at the right, as one views FIGURE l, illustrates the direction of travel of the strip as it issues from a hot runout table of a hot strip mill, the mill and table not being shown on the drawings.

For brevitys sake, since many of the elements and machines are identical, a description of only one such element or machine is deemed necessary. Each coiler table comprises a plurality of rollers 12, which are rotatably received in the end supports of the table and individually driven by electrical motors 13 arranged on a common side of the table. It will be noted in FIGURE l, that the `axes of the rollers 12 are skewed relative to a line drawn perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the table, the angle of displacement being less than measured in a counterclockwise direction with reference to the longitudinal axis and the upper side of the table. A very acceptable range of angualrity has been found to be between 1/2 to 2. It will also be appreciated that the rollers can be adjustable to vary the angle of displacement to obtain the optimum condition.

The tables also `comprise a pair of strip side guards 14 and 15, each guard consisting of opposed strip guard members 16 and 17 which have surfaces arranged perpendicular to the strip supporting surfaces of the rollers 12 and are engageable by the edges of the strip. The side guard member 17 is provided with means for traversing it quickly toward the side guard member 16 and for controlling its innermost position. As shown in FIGURE 1 the side guard member 17 is carried by a pair of parallelly arranged rotatable threaded shafts 18 which are received in non-rotatable nuts secured to the member, thereby on rotation of the threaded shafts, the member 17 is advanced either toward or away `from the edge of the strip. The other ends of shafts 18 protrude away from the table 10 or 11 `and are secured to the gear Wheels of worm- Wheel units 19, the worms being connected to a common electrical motor 21 and through which agency the Worms are rotated. The shafts 1S are extended through the worm-wheel units and are connected to piston cylinder assembiles 22 through rotary joints 23. By this construction, the side guard member 17 is moved by operation of `the motor-21 to its operative or closed position after which the piston cylinder assembiles 22 are operated in unison 4to retract the guard to its open position. When it isdesired `to bring .the strip ,under the guiding inlluence of `the guiding member 17, `the piston cylinder assemblies 22 are again operated to quickly move the side guard member 17 into the operative or closed position.

The mechanism for traversing the `guard can be bestseen `in referring to FIGURE 4, which shows a similar mechanism, although the mechanism shown therein relates to a different side guard yet -to be explained.

The `opposed `side Vguard 16 is not :provided with means `for quick motion, but means is provided `to `predeterminately position .it relative to the coiler. This ishac- .complished by providing a pair of parallelly arranged, `rotatable threaded `shafts 24 which are received .in nonrotatable nuts connected to the side guard .member 16, the shafts being made to extend outward from the table 10 or 11and theirends connectedto gear wheels of gear worm-wheel units 25. The worms of the gear units are connected together and to an"electrical motor 26 through which agency the worms are rotated and, hence, the side guard 16 is moved toward and away from side guards 17.

Before leaving the discussion of the tables, it will be noted in FIGURE 1 that in conjunction with the strip side guards 16 and 17 of the table 11 tapering complementary side guards 27 are provided to facilitate the easy entrance of the strip between the side guards 15.

At the delivery end of each table 10 and 11, identical pinch roll units 28 and 29 are provided which are best shown in FIGURE 2. Each pinch roll unit comprises an upper roll 31 rotatably mounted in a frame 32, the roll being arranged above the normal path of the strip which is identified with the reference character S in FIGURES 2 and 3. The pinch roll unit also has a lower roll 33 of considerably smaller diameter as compared with the upper roll 31. The lower roll is rotatably received in the frame 32 and arranged in an offset relationship relative to the upper roll 31 so that the strip when engaged by the upper roll will be forced in a downward direction out of its normal horizontal line of travel. FIGURE 1 shows the motors 34 provided for driving the pinch rolls 31 and 33.

It is a feature of this invention to provide means for skewing the pinch rolls 31 and 33, if such is deemed necessary or desirable, in the same direction and to the same extent that the rollers 12 of the tables 10 and 11 are skewed. To obtain this result and in still referring to FIGURE 2, the frame 32 is rotatably mounted on a base 36 and received into a cylindrical projection 37. The frame 32 is held against the base and, hence, against rotation by a clamp 38. The proper skewed position is obtained by adjusting one of two bolts 39, the inner ends of which engage a projection 41 secured to and projecting from the pinch roll frame 32, this construction being shown only in FIGURE 1. After the pinch rolls 31 and 33 have been positioned in the desired location, both of the bolts 39 are tightened up to maintain this position.

The upper pinch roll 31 is adjusted relative to the lower roll 33 by a piston cylinder assembly 35 for which purpose the roll is trunnion mounted to a shaft 36, the shaft being carried by the frame 32. In FIGURE the upper roll 31 is shown positioned so that while it will still guide the leading end of the strip downwardly, it will not pinc the strip against the lower roll 33. The significance of this arrangement will be explained later.

As shown in FIGURE 2, at the entry side of the pinch roll unit there is provided an inclined guide member 42 which diverges toward the bite of the pinch rolls and as a result assists the leading end of the strip into the bite. At the delivery en-d of the pinch roll unit an apron 43 is provided having a horizontal surface which serves as an extension of the tables or 11, which supports the strip issuing horizontally from the pinch roll unit. The lower part of the apron 43 is formed with an inclined guiding surface 44 which constitutes the top of the throat 45 that extend between the bite of the pinch rolls and a coiler 46.

The coiler may take the form of one of several constructions and in the illustrated form comprise a driven mandrel 47 around which the strip S is coiled. In the coiler illustrated, one of the guiding arrangements that cooperate with the mandrel 47 is shown consisting of a crescent-shaped strip guide 48 which encircles a portion of the mandrel and a driven roll 49. As shown, the guide 4S in its operative position is held a slight distance away from the mandrel, and strip, whereas, the roll 49 contacts the strip and serves to drive the leading end thereof around the mandrel.

At the lower end of the throat 45, a non-driven strip deector roll 51 is provided, the lower surface of which is contacted by the strip after the diameter of the coil has enlarged a given amount.

The present invention also contemplates the embodiment of a side guard in the throat 45, which guard will function in a manner similar to the guards 14 and 15. In referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, which illustrate this guard, there is shown a pair of channel-shaped guard members 52 and 53 arranged to present opposed vertical strip guiding surfaces, the channel-shaped guard members 52 and 53 being secured to identical traversable blocks 54. The blocks are designed to receive nuts 55 through which individual rotatable threaded shafts 56 and 57 are received. The blocks 54 are slidably guided in a carried member 58 which permit the guard members 52 and 53 to be advanced toward and away from the edges of the strip S. With reference now to the means for rotating the shaft 56, there is provided a worm-wheel unit 59, the wheel of which is secured to the outer end of the shaft 56, the worm being connected to an electrical motor 61.

With reference to the shaft 57, its outer end also is received in a worm-wheel unit 62, the wheel being sei cured to the shaft 57 while the worm is connected to an electrical motor 63. However, in this case, the end of the shaft 57 protrudes through the worm-wheel unit 62 and is connected to a piston cylinder assembly 64 by means of a rotating joint 65. In this arrangement, as previously explained with respect to side guards 14 and 15, the guard 52 is adapted to be predeterminately set in relationship to the side guard 16 and the mandrel 47, whereas, the side guard 53 will be set with respect to its normal operating or closed position, but may be quickly moved toward and away from the edge of the strip.

A brief description of the operation -of the present invention will now be given:

Let it be assumed that the coiler associated with the' pinch roll 29 is to be employed to coil an oncoming strip. In this event, prior to the strip being received by the table 11, the side guard 15 will be adjusted so that the guard members 16 and 17 will be moved to their operative positions. With respect to the side guard member 16, it will be positioned relative to the mandrel 47. In the operative position there will exist a slight gap between the edge of the strip and the side guard member 17 so that the opening between the members 16 and 17 is slightly greater than the width of the strip. Once the operative position of the side guard members have been determined, the piston cylinder assemblies 22 are operated to retract the side guard member 17 to its open position.

At the same time the guard members 16 and 17 are being positioned, the guard members 52 and 53 arranged in the throat 45 will also be positioned. The top pinch roll 31 will be lowered in readiness to receive the front end of the strip, it being understood that the pinch rolls will be then rotating at their operative speeds, as will be the rollers 12 of the table 11. At the same time, the mandrel 47 will be brought to its operative speed and the other operative elements of the coiler 46 brought to their operative positions.

As previously mentioned, because of the condition of the leading end of the strip the guards 17 and 53 will be retracted from their normal guiding positions. As a result of this condition, the strip in prior devices was allowed to Wander transversely along the table. This is alleviated in the present invention, since once the leading end of the strip contacts the rollers 12 of the table 11 it will be biased toward the side guard member 16 as a result of the skewed condition of the rollers. This action, of course, will prevent the strip from wandering and maintain its one edge against the side guard member 16. By virtue of the side guard member 52, the positioned strip will be further guided into the coiler 46. Also, should it be found desirable, the pinch rolls if skewed will further assist the proper guiding of the strip. Once the leading end of the strip is received by the mandrel 47' the side guard members 17 and 53 are quickly brought into their operative positions by the operation of the piston cylinder assemblies 22 and 64, respectively, which will place their guiding edges closely adjacent the edges of the strip.

As mentioned previously the present invention also contemplates the employment of the pinch roll but in a manner that its top roll is raised away from the lower roll so as not to pinch the strip between the lower pinch roll. In this arrangement, which is illustrated in FIG- URE 5, the top roll of the pinch roll unit will have a guiding influence on the leading end of the strip but will not have the effect of driving it down the throat 45. This operation is particularly advantageous when in actually driving the strip the pinch rolls are found to have a misaligning effect on the strip. Once the striphas left the rolling mill, the pinch rolls are brought down into engagement with the trailing end of the strip to impose a tension between the coiler and the pinch roll unit, thereby assuring that the last convolutions are tightly wound on the coil.

As previously mentioned, various other mechanical means can be employed in place of the illustrated means to accomplish the novel results herein set forth, For example, other means that the skewed or tapered rollers can be provided for urging the strip against a predeterminately set guard member. Moreover, in some applications it may be found unnecessary to provide a second cooperative guard or adjustment of either of theguards. In other applications, depending on the material being processed and speed thereof, the table preceding the coiler table may also be provided with means for urging or maintaining the strip in one `direction or at least maintaining the strip against moving traversely of the table. An example of this would be the employment of skewed rollers or tapered rollers.

In accordance with the provisions ofthe patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that Within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

1. An apparatus for guiding material in strip form as it travels in a desired direction to a coiling apparatus for coiling thereon, during at least a period of which travel the strip has the tendency to move transversely relative to the desired direction of travel comprising:

a iirst side guard having a member engageable by one of the edges of the strip to restrain the strip from moving transversely in one direction relative to the desired direction of travel,

said first side guard being positioned so that its member is located in a predetermined relationship relative to said coiling apparatus,

a second side guard arranged opposite to the first having a member engageable by the other edge of the strip to restrain the strip from moving transversely in a second direction relative to the desired direction of travel beyond a certain limit,

a table having a plurality of rotatable rollers that extend between the two side guards for conveying the strip to the coiling apparatus,

said rollers being so constructed and arranged so as to urge the strip transverselyrelative to the desired direction of travel and against said iirst side guard,

a pair of pinch rolls arranged at the end of said table between the table and the coiling apparatus,

one of said pinch rolls being arranged so that its strip engaging surface is substantially coplanar with the strip engaging surface of said table rollers, and

means for shifting the pinch rolls horizontally so that their axes are disposed at an angle less than 90 measured in a counter-clockwise direction with reference to the longitudinal axis of said table and the longitudinal side of said table adjacent to said predeterminately positioned side guard.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, including a frame for rotatably receiving said pai-r of pinch rolls,

a base for saidframe, A

said frame being secured to said base in a manner to allow the frame to move so that the axes of the pinch rolls .assume said angular position.

` 3. An apparatus for guiding material in strip form as it travels in a desired direction to a coiling apparatus for coiling thereon, during at least a period of which travel the strip has the tendency to move transversely relative to the desired direction of travel comprising:

a first side guard having a member engageable by one of the edges of the strip to restrain the strip from moving transversely in one direction relative to the -desired direction of travel,

said irst side guard being positioned so that its member is located in a predetermined relationship relative to said coiling apparatus,

a second side guard arranged opposite to the first having a member engageable by the other edge of the strip to restrain the strip from moving transversely in a second direction relative to theV desired direction of travel beyond a certain limit,

a table having a plurality of rotatable rollers that extend between the two side guards for conveying the strip to the coiling apparatus,

said rollers being so constructed and arranged so as to urge the strip transversely relative to the desired di- -rection of travel and against said predeterminately positioned side guard,

strip guiding throat arranged between the table and the coiling apparatus, comprising:

an additional pair of opposed side guards having members engageable by the opposite edges of the strip to restrain the strip from moving transversely relative to the desired direction of travel beyond a certain limit,

one of said side guards of said additional pair being positioned so that its member is located in a predetermined relationship relative to said coiling apparatus and coplanar with respect to said predeterminately positioned side guard of the other side guard, and

a pair of pinch rolls arranged at the end of the throat into which the strip first enters and adapted to urge the strip into the throat for coiling on said coiling apparatus.

4. An apparatus for guiding material in strip form as it travels in a desire-d direction to a coiling apparatus for coiling thereon, during at least a period of which travel the strip has the tendency to move transversely relative to the desired direction of travel, comprising:

a iirst side guard having a member engageable by one of the edges of the strip to restrain the strip from moving transversely in one direction relative to the desired direction of travel,

said rst side guard being positioned so that its member is located in a predetermined relationship relative to said coiling apparatus,

a second side guard arranged opposite to the first having a member engageable by the other edge of the strip to restrain the strip from moving transversely in a second direction relative to the desired direction of travel beyond a certain limit,

a table having a plurality -of rotatable rollers that extend between the two side guards for conveying the strip to the coiling apparatus,

said rollers being so constructed and arranged so as to urge the strip transversely relative to the desired direction of travel and against said predeterminately positioned side guard,

means for moving said predeterminately positioned first side guards relative to their opposed side guards,

means for determining a closed position of the opposed side guards, and

means for moving the opposed side guards quickly toward and away from the other side guards.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Feick etal 271-59 X Vice 193-36 X Beam 226--19 X Miller 226-21 Richard et al 226-17.'y

M. HENSON WOOD, I R., Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, ROBERT B. REEVES, Examiners.. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR GUIDING MATERIAL IN STRIP FORM AS IT TRAVELS IN A DESIRED DIRECTION TO COILING APPARATUS FOR COILING THEREON, DURING AT LEAST A PERIOD OF WHICH TRAVEL THE STRIP HAS THE TENDENCY TO MOVE TRANSVERSELY RELATIVE TO THE DESIRED DIRECTION OF TRAVEL COMPRISING: A FIRST SIDE GUARD HAVING A MEMBER ENGAGEABLE BY ONE OF THE EDGE OF THE STRIP TO RESTRAIN THE STRIP FROM MOVING TRANSVERSELY IN ONE DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE DESIRED DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, SAID FIRST SIDE GUARD BENG POSITIONED SO THAT ITS MEMBER IS LOCATED IN A PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP RELATIVE TO SAID COILING APPARATUS, A SECOND SIDE GUARD ARRANGED OPPOSITE TO THE FIRST HAVING A MEMBER ENGAGEABLE BY THE OTHER EDGE OF THE STRIP TO RESTRAIN THE STRIP FROM MOVING TRANSVERSELY IN A SECOND DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE DESIRED DIRECTION OF TRAVEL BEYOND A CERTAIN LIMIT, A TABLE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ROTATABLE ROLLERS THAT EXTEND BETWEEN THE TWO SIDE GUARDS FOR CONVEYING THE STRIP TO THE COILING APPARATUS, SAID ROLLERS BEING SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED SO AS TO URGE THE STRIP TRANSVERSELY RELATIVE TO THE DESRIED 